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Jackson doesn't know if he 'can compete with the top people anymore,'

Hours before his losing performance against Glover Teixeira (watch highlights here) in the UFC on Fox 6 co-main event last night (Jan. 26, 2013) at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., Quinton Jackson was outwardly confident about his money-making opportunities beyond Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

"It's going to be the UFC's loss and not my loss because I can go to any organization on the planet and have a successful career," he said. "When I leave the UFC I'm just going to move onto the next chapter in my life and try to remain positive and happy...."

Moments after his losing performance to the upstart Brazilian, which marked his third consecutive defeat (Jon Jones, Ryan Bader), "Rampage" -- a 12-fight veteran of the Octagon -- expressed uncertainty about his future, questioning his place among the elite and wondering if he can still hang with the best the sport has to offer.

"I don't know if I can compete with the top people," the former Light Heavyweight champion admitted to FUEL TV correspondent Ariel Helwani on the UFC on FOX 6: "Johnson vs. Dodson" post-fight show. "It's my first time I've lost three fights in a row. I'm not going to give up. I'm going to go back to the drawing board and work on everything. I feel like I can come back if I set my mind to it, but right now if anyone picks me up, that's my marketing pitch -- hey I'll put on a great show for you."

That's probably not what the marketing executives and Reebok want to hear, who endorsed Jackson (read more on that here) prior to his fight on network television, but were unable to reap the rewards of the high-profile exposure because it is not an approved UFC sponsor. And it's unlikely that a blue-chip sponsor is going to throw its marketing muscle behind an aspiring 34-year-old professional boxer who got beat at his own game by the lesser experienced Brazilian.

Especially one who is now thinking about following in the sideshow footsteps of Gary Goodridge, a middle-of-the-road, over-the-hill MMA fighter/kickboxer/boxer who hung on for far too long and now suffers from pugilistic dementia.

"I think that this is my reality and I have to see what's next," he said. "I've been fighting for 13 years and the game has changed a lot. I might just be one of those fighters that come in and excite the crowd -- be like Gary Goodridge. One of those guys who just comes out and puts on a great show. Gary Goodridge is a great ambassador for the sport and he taught me a long time ago that it's all about the show. I'm just going out there and try to entertain the fans. I'll be one of those middle range fighters. If someone wants to pick me up and somebody is going to put on an exciting fight for the fans."

That's certainly not the kind of post-UFC career that one would describe as "successful" or lucrative. Not one that would earn him more than $1 million per appearance, in addition to bonuses and other swanky benefits like top-of-the-line automobiles.

Nonetheless, It is essentially guaranteed Jackson won't be seen fighting in the UFC again, and given his recent comments, perhaps deep down one of the greatest mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters of all time knows he can no longer rack up wins against UFC caliber athletes.

Instead, he's now resigned himself to just "putting on good shows" for whoever will have him pay his price.

I heard this and was amazed. If Jackson would figure out that MMA is mixed martial arts and not just boxing he could do alot better. IMO his biggest problem is that he is to one dimensional. He has good wrestling and never uses it. The Pride Rampage would destroy the UFC version.

IMO basically all he is saying is pay him and he will show up cause he doesnt care what happens.

I heard this and was amazed. If Jackson would figure out that MMA is mixed martial arts and not just boxing he could do alot better. IMO his biggest problem is that he is to one dimensional. He has good wrestling and never uses it. The Pride Rampage would destroy the UFC version.

IMO basically all he is saying is pay him and he will show up cause he doesnt care what happens.

His problem is that he stopped progressing, his "coaches" say that he's been around the block, there is nothing we can teach him, it's about sharpening the tools he has, in other words complete bullshit.

Oh God, yes Rampage ABSOLUTELY still can compete with top people, there is just a myriad of roadblocks in his way.

The biggest of which, is obviously himself: his laziness, complacency, unwillingness to evolve with the sport, mental mindframe and overall lack of "eye of the tiger".

Not to mention the legion of sycophants who have allowed Jackson to become the "Emperor with no clothes" and the most abysmal training staff that has ZERO CLUE how to push Rampage as a top caliber fighter. He's not working with the top guys, who have his best interest for performance in mind and those who he's training with aren't taking him to new horizons, rather just cashing his cheques and letting him rule the roost.

If Rampage could pull his head out of his ass, join a camp like AKA who are going to force him to compete at a top level and surround himself with those who don't care if he's tired or bored or disinterested and just push him to be his absolute best, I think Rampage is EASILY a top five still. The present tape on Rampage hasn't changed too much in the past five years and his team has just let him do what he wants, if he could shift his paradigm and reimmerse himself as a MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST, he's a terror.

Oh God, yes Rampage ABSOLUTELY still can compete with top people, there is just a myriad of roadblocks in his way.

The biggest of which, is obviously himself: his laziness, complacency, unwillingness to evolve with the sport, mental mindframe and overall lack of "eye of the tiger".

Not to mention the legion of sycophants who have allowed Jackson to become the "Emperor with no clothes" and the most abysmal training staff that has ZERO CLUE how to push Rampage as a top caliber fighter. He's not working with the top guys, who have his best interest for performance in mind and those who he's training with aren't taking him to new horizons, rather just cashing his cheques and letting him rule the roost.

If Rampage could pull his head out of his ass, join a camp like AKA who are going to force him to compete at a top level and surround himself with those who don't care if he's tired or bored or disinterested and just push him to be his absolute best, I think Rampage is EASILY a top five still. The present tape on Rampage hasn't changed too much in the past five years and his team has just let him do what he wants, if he could shift his paradigm and reimmerse himself as a MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST, he's a terror.

I pretty much agree with you guys, Rampage has/had a tonne of talent, but now instead of striving to be the best he would rather justify his inability to evolve by making excuses and making himself look like an ass.

I think back in pride his natural talent got him further because mma hadnt evolved much at that point. He still counts on that same natural talent but it just doesn't cut it against the Texiera's and Jones' of the world.

I pretty much agree with you guys, Rampage has/had a tonne of talent, but now instead of striving to be the best he would rather justify his inability to evolve by making excuses and making himself look like an ass.

I think back in pride his natural talent got him further because mma hadnt evolved much at that point. He still counts on that same natural talent but it just doesn't cut it against the Texiera's and Jones' of the world.

Why evolve with MMA when his interest is in boxing, reality TV shows and movies? Once you go Hollywood you don't return unless your name is Cung Le.

Did anybody else utterly cringe when Rampage alluded to WANTING to be like Gary Goodridge?

I mean, I don't think Goodridge even wants to be Goodridge....it's not like he's taking these fights because he WANTS TO, he's trying to make a buck and is pretty much a cautionary tale of the early years of MMA given all of his head trauma and the fucking BEATINGS he's taken in the past, decade.